Privacy Policy for HobbyMonitor LLC

Last Updated: September 24th, 2026

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy describes how HobbyMonitor LLC ("we", "us", or "our"), operator of HobbyMonitor.com, our iOS and Android apps, HobbyMonitor Collect, the Desktop Scanner (beta), our AI assistant connector for Claude, our games, and the public Gallery, collects, uses, and shares your personal information when you use our website, mobile applications, and card tracking services.

2. Definitions

In this Policy, the following terms have the meanings below:

• "Personal Information" means any data that identifies or could reasonably be associated with an individual (e.g., name, email, IP address).
• "Processing" means any operation performed on Personal Information, such as collection, storage, disclosure, or deletion.
• "Controller" means HobbyMonitor LLC, which determines the purposes and means of Processing Personal Information.
• "Processor" means any third party that processes Personal Information on our behalf under contract.

3. Information We Collect

We collect information in the following ways:

3.1 Automatically Collected Information

• Device information (browser type, IP address, device type)
• Log information (pages visited, time spent)
• Location information (derived from IP address)
• Analytics data (page views, features used, user journey)

3.2 Account Information

• Authentication provider data (when you sign in with email and password, Google, or Apple)
• Email address
• Username (shown publicly) and profile preferences

3.3 Subscription and Payment Information

• Billing information (handled by our payment processors)
• Subscription tier and status
• Purchase history (limited to subscription type and dates)

3.4 Card Tracking Data

• Basic search queries for when using our price tool feature
• AI analysis usage statistics
• AI-powered analysis interactions
• Personal card collection data (when using collections feature)

3.5 Card Image Processing

• Card images uploaded for identification and grading analysis (stored with your scan records for up to 1 year)
• Processing metadata (upload time, analysis type, success/failure status) retained for 1 year
• Card images saved to your personal collection (stored indefinitely until you delete them)

3.6 Notifications and Connected Accounts

• Push notification token and basic device information (such as device type and name) when you enable push notifications
• If you connect your eBay seller account: an authorization token and your eBay username/ID, plus your eBay sales data (sale price, shipping, and fees) so we can manage your listings and track profit and loss on your behalf. We do not collect your buyers' personal information.

4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to track activity on our website and store certain information. Cookies are files with small amounts of data which may include an anonymous unique identifier.

4.1 Advertising and Third-Party Cookies

Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to our website or other websites. Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads based on your visit to our sites and/or other sites on the Internet.

The following third-party vendors and ad networks serve ads on our site:

• Google AdSense (shown to logged-out visitors and free users on our website)
• Google Ads conversion tag, which helps us measure the results of our own ads
• Topps affiliate links (through Impact), which may use cookies to credit purchases to us
• eBay Partner Network (see Section 4.2)

4.2 eBay Partner Network (Affiliate Links and Tools)

HobbyMonitor is a member of the eBay Partner Network ("EPN"), eBay's affiliate program. This section explains how EPN links and tools work across our services and what information eBay may collect.

Affiliate links. Links to eBay listings and searches on our website, in HobbyMonitor Collect (collect.hobbymonitor.com), in our iOS and Android apps, in optional alert emails and in push notifications are usually affiliate links. They carry tracking codes that identify HobbyMonitor as the referrer and, for some links, which part of our service the link came from. When you click one, you go to eBay's website or app, and eBay may set or read its own cookies (or use similar technologies) to record that you came from us. If you buy something within the time eBay allows, eBay may pay us a commission. This never changes the price you pay.

eBay Smart Tools on some web pages. On our releases page, individual release pages and articles, visitors who are not signed in or who have a free account may see a box of related eBay listings. It is provided by EPN Smart Tools, a script loaded from eBay's servers. When the script loads, eBay receives standard information from your browser, such as your IP address, browser and device type, and the address of the page you are viewing, and it may set or read cookies or similar technologies to show listings and to count views and clicks so purchases can be credited to us. The script may also add our affiliate tracking codes to other eBay links on the same page. Premium and Pro subscribers never see this box, and the script is not loaded for them.

Visitors in the EEA, the UK and Switzerland. We do not show the Smart Tools box or load its script for visitors we detect are in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom or Switzerland, or when we can't tell where a visitor is. We work out your country from your IP address when a page loads, use it only for this check, and do not save it to your account. Our affiliate links still work the same way for these visitors. Cookies that eBay sets on its own site are covered by eBay's cookie notice and the choices eBay offers there.

What eBay collects and what we receive. eBay decides for itself how it uses the information it collects through these links and tools, under its own privacy and cookie notices. That can include your IP address, device and browser details, the page you came from, when you clicked, and what you view or buy on eBay. EPN sends us reports on clicks, purchases and commissions (for example, an item's category and sale amount). These reports do not include your name, email address or eBay account details, and we do not use them to identify you.

Learn more from eBay:

• eBay User Privacy Notice
• eBay Cookie Notice

4.3 Analytics Technologies

We use analytics tools to collect usage data to help us improve our service. These tools may use cookies and similar technologies to track:

• Pages visited and user journeys through our site
• Features and tools used
• Session duration and frequency
• User preferences and settings

When you are logged in, this data is connected to your user account (by user ID, and by email on HobbyMonitor Collect and our mobile apps) to help us personalize your experience and better understand how our service is used.

4.4 Your Cookie Choices

You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting:

• Google Ads Settings
• Digital Advertising Alliance
• eBay Advertising Preferences (AdChoice)

To limit eBay Partner Network tracking:

• Use your browser settings to block third-party cookies, or to clear or block cookies from eBay. This limits what the Smart Tools script can store on our pages and what eBay can store when you click a link.
• Use a content or tracker blocker, which can stop the Smart Tools script from loading.
• Go to eBay directly instead of clicking our eBay links. Purchases you make that way are not credited to us.
• Upgrade to a Premium or Pro plan, which removes the Smart Tools box and its script.
• Visitors in the EEA, the UK and Switzerland don't get the Smart Tools script at all (see Section 4.2).

Our website does not currently respond to browser "Do Not Track" signals.

5. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide and improve our services
• Analyze website usage
• Personalize your experience
• Serve relevant advertisements
• Process card grading requests and AI analysis features
• Communicate with you about your account and service updates
• Process payments and manage subscriptions
• Enforce subscription limits and provide tier-appropriate features
• Send subscription-related notifications and renewal reminders

6. Payment Processing

For processing payments and handling subscription billing, we use third-party payment processors. When you subscribe to a paid plan:

• Payment information is collected and processed directly by our payment processor
• We do not store any credit card or payment details on our servers
• We only receive and store limited subscription information (such as customer ID, subscription status, tier, and renewal dates)
• Each processor's use of your information is governed by their respective privacy policies

iOS and Android in-app purchases are processed through the Apple App Store and Google Play respectively. Mobile payment information is handled directly by Apple or Google and is not stored by us.

7. Data Retention

We retain your information for the following periods:

• Account information: As long as your account is active
• Basic subscription status information: As long as your account is active
• Usage data: For up to 24 months to track service utilization
• Scan images: Stored with your scan records for up to 1 year
• Scan records and metadata: 1 year after completion
• Collection card images: Indefinitely, until you delete them
• Collection data: Indefinitely, until you delete it or your account
• Push notification tokens: Until you sign out, unregister the device, or disable notifications
• Notification history (in-app inbox): As long as your account is active
• Connected eBay authorization token: Until you disconnect, which deletes it

7.1 Collections Feature Data

When you use our card collection management feature, we collect and store:

Card Information You Provide:

• Card details (player name, year, set, card number, variation, print run)
• Grading information (company, grade, certification number)
• Purchase information (price, date, source, notes)
• Sale information (if sold: price, date, platform, fees)
• Current valuation estimates
• Physical location and status
• Card images (front and back)

Collection Metadata:

• Collection names and descriptions
• Privacy settings (public/private)
• Activity logs of changes to your collection

Data Sharing:

• Collections marked as "public" are viewable by anyone with the share link, and may appear in the public Gallery if "Show in Gallery" is on (new public collections are included by default; you can turn it off)
• Public collections do not show purchase prices by default. You can also enable "Hide pricing when shared" in collection settings to hide financial information (purchase price, sale price, current value, purchase source, and notes) from public viewers
• You can change a collection's privacy status at any time

Important: Free tier collections are always public. If you require private collections, please upgrade to a paid subscription.

CSV Import:

• Data imported via CSV is processed and stored the same as manually entered data
• Imported data is subject to automated content moderation

Content Moderation:

• Moderation logs (flagged content categories and timestamps) may be retained for abuse prevention purposes

8. Information Sharing

We share your information with third parties only in the ways described in this privacy policy:

• With third-party service providers who assist in our operations
• With payment processors for subscription billing
• With analytics providers for usage tracking and service improvement
• With AI service providers for card identification, grading, and market analysis features
• With cloud infrastructure providers for hosting and edge services
• With advertising partners to display relevant ads (for non-premium users)
• With eBay, if you connect your eBay seller account, to manage your listings and import your sales and fee data on your behalf
• With eBay, when you click an eBay affiliate link or visit a page where eBay's Smart Tools box loads; eBay then collects the information described in Section 4.2 directly
• When required by law or to protect our rights

8.1 Email Communications

We use your email address for the following purposes:

• To communicate with you about your account and subscription
• To send service-related notifications and updates
• To provide subscription renewal reminders
• To send optional alert emails you enable (such as price alerts, bid target and snipe alerts, and release reminders), delivered through a third-party email provider; each includes a link to manage or turn them off
• Some alert emails, like the matching push notifications, include eBay affiliate links (see Section 4.2)
• To respond to your inquiries and support requests

8.2 What We Don't Do With Your Information

We want to be clear about our data practices:

• We do not sell your email address or personal information to third parties
• We do not share your personal information with unaffiliated companies for their direct marketing purposes
• We do not use your email address for promotional purposes unless you explicitly opt in

8.3 Optional Marketing Communications

With your explicit consent, we may also send you optional marketing communications including:

• Product announcements and new feature updates
• Platform enhancements and improvements
• Educational content about card collecting and market trends
• Special offers and promotions for HobbyMonitor services

Important: Marketing communications are completely optional and require your explicit opt-in consent. You can:

• Choose to opt-in during account setup or in your profile settings
• Opt-out at any time by updating your preferences in your account settings
• Unsubscribe using the link provided in any marketing email
• Contact us directly to update your communication preferences

Opting out of marketing communications will not affect essential account-related emails such as subscription confirmations, password resets, or service announcements.

9. Data Security

We implement reasonable security measures to protect your personal information. However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure.

We require all third‑party Processors to implement and maintain appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your Personal Information.

In the event of a confirmed data breach, we will notify affected users "without undue delay" and in accordance with applicable breach‑notification laws.

10. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access your basic account information
• Correct inaccurate account information
• Request deletion of your account (deleting your account cancels a web subscription, but App Store or Google Play subscriptions must be canceled in the store)
• Opt-out of personalized advertising
• Access your subscription status and usage history
• Request data portability: receive a copy of your Personal Information in a usable format
• Object to or restrict Processing: ask us to limit how we use your data
• Withdraw consent at any time where we rely on it as the legal basis for Processing
• Disconnect any connected third-party account (such as eBay), which revokes our access and deletes the stored authorization token
• Submit requests via email at [email protected]

10.1 California Privacy Rights

If you are a California resident, you have the right to:

• Know what Personal Information we collect, use, share, or sell
• Request deletion of your Personal Information
• Opt‑out of the sale of your Personal Information (we do not sell your data, but you may exercise this right at any time)
• Receive equal service and price, even if you exercise these rights

11. Children's Privacy

Our service is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new privacy policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date.

13. AI Integration

We use third-party AI service providers to power various features of our service. This section explains how these providers are used and how your data is handled.

13.1 AI-Powered Features

Our AI providers power the following features:

• Card identification and grading analysis
• Market analysis
• Pricing research and market news
• Image preprocessing and OCR for card recognition

13.2 Data Sent to AI Providers

When you use AI-powered features, the following data may be sent to these providers:

• Card images you upload for identification or grading analysis
• Text queries and search terms you enter
• Context about the card (sport, year range, set information) to improve accuracy

What we do NOT send: Your email address, account credentials, payment information, or other personally identifiable information is never intentionally shared with AI providers.

13.3 HobbyMonitor Data Retention

On our own servers:

• Scan images are stored with your scan records for up to 1 year
• Scan metadata and results are retained for 1 year
• Images saved to your personal collection are stored indefinitely until you delete them
• AI usage statistics are tracked to enforce subscription tier limits

13.4 AI Provider Data Retention

Each AI provider has their own data retention policies. In general, providers may retain processed content for a limited period (typically up to 30 days) according to their terms of service. Some providers may use API inputs to improve their models unless opted out. We select providers that offer appropriate data handling practices and configure opt-outs where available.

13.5 Disclaimer

Important: All AI-generated results, including card identifications, grading estimates, price valuations, and market analysis, are provided for informational and guidance purposes only. These results:

• Should not be considered definitive or professional advice
• May contain errors or inaccuracies
• Do not constitute official card grades from PSA, BGS, SGC, or any grading company
• Should not be solely relied upon for purchasing, selling, or investment decisions
• Are not a substitute for professional appraisal or authentication services

14. Contact Us

For questions about this privacy policy, please contact us at: [email protected]